Governors

The Governing Body firmly believes that a good relationship between school and home is vital to achieving a happy and productive journey through school. We are fortunate to have the co-operation, support, and involvement of parents and the community in daily life here, and hope that that relationship doesn't end at the school gates.

With the talented, dedicated school staff, we constantly work hard to ensure that the educational standards, pastoral care and curriculum enhancing opportunities that are offered at Pannal Primary School combine to create a challenging and stimulating environment in which every child will thrive.

The Pannal Local Governing Body oversee the work of Pannal School. This role is devolved to them by the Board of Trustees of the Multi-academy trust, The Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust. To visit the YCST website, please click on the logo below.

The Scheme of Delegation, which explains which roles have been delegated to the Pannal Governing body by the Board of Trustees, can be downloaded here.

The Role of the Governors

Some of the things we do are:-

Make sure we keep our children safe.

Work with the school staff to ensure equality and inclusion for children, staff and parents.

Work with staff, parents and children to plan for the future - making sure we anticipate future demands and opportunities to further improve our school.

Work with the staff to understand how well our children are achieving and if there is more we could be doing to make sure all our children have the best possible chance to succeed.

Look at how we are spending pupil premium monies.

Have meetings with curriculum leaders to understand how well we are supporting both curricular and extra-curricular activities.

Monitor and measure the Strategic School Development Plan, agreeing on clear objectives and measures to track how we are doing.

Get involved in recruitment and make sure we offer quality continuing professional development to ensure our staff have the best possible skills and support to educate our children.

Work with school staff to best prepare our children to live in modern Britain by ensuring children understand British values of democracy, rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs and those without faith.

Work with staff to ensure robust financial management and that we make the best use of funds to support our children.

Talk to parents and professionals to understand their views, listen to complaints and develop ideas for how we can further improve our school.

Governors are expected to declare any interests at each governing body meeting. To date, the only interest recorded is for Mr Matthew Hill as he is married to Mrs Stef Hill who is a class teacher in Year 1.

Attendance at meetings is recorded by the Clerk at each meeting and details are available at school on request.

The following are at present members of the governing body and, with the exception of Mrs Turner who is an ex-officio governor, will hold office until the dates indicated.

Jo Thompson (Chair)

Co-opted Governor
May 2020

Link governor for Literacy & Inclusion/Special Educational Needs

Chair of Communications, Admissions and Pastoral Committee

Standards Committee

I have been a parent at Pannal School; Jessica and Beth have moved on to secondary school. In addition to overall general contribution to the governing body, I chair the CAP (Communications, Admissions and Pastoral) committee, am involved in the academic standards committee and also conduct Head Teacher performance management and teacher recruitment. I am also the link governor for SENCO, numeracy and literacy which provides me and the governors a great insight to the work within the school in these areas and also the opportunity for independent questioning and challenge.

Sarah Downham (Vice Chair)

Co-opted Governor
November 2018

Link governor for Early Years and Numeracy

Communications, Admissions and Pastoral Committee

Standards Committee

I have been a governor since 2008, starting as a parent governor. I currently hold the posts of vice-chair and chair of the standards committee.

My daughter, Rachel, attended Pannal for her primary school years and had a fantastic time, remembering her time here with great fondness.

I am a Chartered Surveyor living in Harrogate, and advising clients on commercial property across the Yorkshire area. My eldest daughter Emily attended Pannal School for 7 years, and left in 2014 to go to secondary school. My youngest daughter Katie still attends Pannal School.

Dan Mitchell

Parent Governor
November 2016 until November 2020

Chair of Strategic Overview working party

Standards Committee

I am a parent governor and have two children in school; Harriet and William. I am on the Standards committee and have also been involved in dealing with the plans for the expansion of the school.

I work in Leeds and Manchester where I am a partner of a town planning and architecture business.

I enjoy helping our school evolve and seeing our children excel in their education and social development.

Peter Stretton

Co-opted Governor – 2017

Chair of Finance and Resources Committee

I spent my working life in the brewing industry. My wife and I moved to Wetherby in 1990 when my job moved to Leeds. On early retirement, I became involved in a number of voluntary organisations. I was elected to the Town Council in 1994 and was Mayor in 2000/1. We downsized to Burn Bridge in 2004 and I was chairman of Pannal Village Society until it was wound up on the formation of the Parish Council in 2016. My main interests are music, singing and walking.

I am excited at the prospect of playing a small part in the future development of the wonderful school we have in Pannal.

Sally Dent

Co-opted Governor
November 2018

Communications, Admissions and Pastoral Committee

Clerk to Finance and resources committee

Mark Colbourn (Deputy Headteacher)

Staff Governor
January 2018

Finance and Resources Committee

Standards Committee

Jane Turner (Headteacher)

Associate Governor

Finance and Resources Committee

Communications, Admissions and Pastoral Committee

Standards Committee

Matthew Hill

Co-opted governor
November 2018

Communications, Admissions and Pastoral Committee

I have been a Governor since 2013 and have been involved with the school for several years. My son Rufus is a pupil. I represent Pannal on Harrogate Borough Council and am a Partner in a local firm of Solicitors. I am also a Director of Harrogate Theatre and the Harrogate International Centre. As part of my work as a Governor I am also the Clerk to the school's Communications, Admissions and Pastoral Committee and the link Governor for the Arts and Enterprise.

Paul Dinning

Parent Governor
March 2018

Standards Committee

Paul is a Parent Governor with two children, Evie and Henry, at the school. Paul sits on the Standards committee and started his term as a Governor in March 2014.

Paul works in Leeds at commercial law firm Addleshaw Goddard LLP as a commercial property adviser and, in his spare time, is an active member of Harrogate Round Table, a charitable organisation dedicated to the local community and charitable causes.

Rev. John Smith

Co-opted Governor
November 2018

Communications, Admissions and Pastoral Committee

I am the Reverend John Smith and I am the Vicar for St Robert’s, Pannal with St Michael’s Beckwithshaw. I have been on the board of Governors since the autumn of 2014. I am married to Sally and we have a daughter, Rebecca who is currently a student Midwife in Edinburgh. I was born in what is now the West Midlands, in the heart of the Black Country but I have been in Yorkshire for the last 20 years. Before I was ordained in 2010, I worked as a Senior Healthcare Manager for many years, working at St Gemma’s Hospice in Leeds, as well as in a large Care home for the Elderly and I have also worked just up the road in Harrogate, at the Duchy Hospital, so I bring business management skills, as well as pastoral skills to the mix of governors. I believe it is a very exciting time for the school with many opportunities and I am looking forward to working with you all with great enthusiasm and energy, as together we make a positive difference to children’s education here in Pannal.